CEO Spotlight

Fastenal's CEO Sweats the Small Stuff

Will Oberton climbed Fastenal's ranks by sticking with basics and solving problems creatively. Even Warren Buffett is impressed.

At Fastenal, it's all about nuts and bolts, in every sense of the phrase. The Winona, Minn.–based company (ticker: FAST) is North America's largest wholesale and retail distributor of nuts, bolts, hand tools, and other supplies to the construction and manufacturing markets, with 2,700 owned or leased stores across the continent. It has built a loyal following among customers through quality and service, and won countless fans on Wall Street with its thrifty, no-nonsense ways.